Acharya
Mahapragya (1920-2010) -- the tenth acharya of the Jain Swetambar Terapanth --
was a divine presence. One of the most revered Jain thinkers, he was often
hailed as a 'modern Vivekananda'. He delved deep into the inner world and
devised Preksha Meditation, a scientifically tested system to know the self. He
was also a scholar of Indian and Western philosophy and religion, a prolific
writer and the brain behind the Jain Vishva Bharati University. Born in a
village in Rajasthan, he became a monk at the age of ten and received his
education under Acharya Tulsi, who launched the Anuvrat Movement in 1949 to rid
the world of hatred. Acharya Mahapragya himself undertook the Ahimsa Yatra in
2001, traversing more than 1,00,000 km on foot. This remarkable feat at the age
of eighty-one won him the Communal Harmony Award in 2004. Acharya Mahapragya: A
Journey to Wisdom traces his growth from little Nathmal, who would fly into a
rage and refuse to eat, to his asceticism, which earned him the name of
Mahapragya -- the very embodiment of wisdom and inner peace. It offers insights
into his thoughts on science and spirituality, and the philosophy of anekanta.
It is a much-needed examination of a towering figure whose relevance is not
confined to the faith he belonged to.

About the Author

S. L. Gandhi is the international president of the Anuvrat Global
Organization (Anuvibha), a centre for peace and nonviolent action associated
with the United Nations Department of Public Information. He has been at the
forefront of national and international campaigns for disarmament, interfaith
harmony, nonviolent conflict resolution, vegetarianism, ecological and
environmental ethics and regeneration of moral and spiritual values. Dr Gandhi
has travelled extensively, presenting papers and delivering keynote addresses
at a number of international conferences held in various parts of the world. He
was invited as a panel speaker by the then president of the UN General Assembly
at an interactive hearing with civil society on the occasion of a high-level
dialogue on inter-religious understanding held at the UN headquarters in
October 2007. He currently holds the rank of an Honorary Professor of Peace and
Nonviolent Studies at the Intercultural Open University Foundation. He has
received numerous honours, including the Scholarly Achievement Award by the
Institute of Oriental Philosophy, Tokyo (1988), IOU Peace Award (2000) and
Acharya Tulsi Anekanta Samman by the Jain Vishva Bharati University, Ladnun,
and Mahadeo Saraogi Foundation, Kolkata (2002).